Pittsburgh Reptile Show & Sale

OK ALL - We are very sorry to be missing you all this Month but with the COVID-19 issues we have decided to not have a show durring the month of April 2020. We are hoping to help everyone out with Feeders, supplies and if you need a new pet to keep you company - Keep following this Thread for more information as we add sales lists from our Vendors and their personal contact info!

Please feel free to call us 724-516-0441 if you have any needs or concerns!

Come join us on Sept. 8th  for our  30th Year of Monthly Pgh Reptile Show! 

Thats 360 Pittsburgh Reptile Show & Sales !  

We are beyond excited to announce out 30 years in the Bussiness Show  & Sale Spectaular !!   As a huge thank you to all our loyal customers and vendors over the years we will be having tons of special events going on! 

here are a few we have planned so far but be sure to keep an eye out for more info coming soon!

* FREE Give-a-ways all day

* FREE Raffles all day

* Food and drink Specials

* Get a Caricatuer of you and your pet

* Reptile Talks 

AND MORE!!!

9am to 3pm Sunday Sept 8th 2019

Our vendor of the month this month is -

Dave with Adam and eves Pet station

How long have you breed / collected reptiles?

When I was about 10 years old I had a pair of red ear sliders they were mine and my brothers pets, the female “Fredet” got very large almost 11 inches and my male “Fred” stayed only about 6 inches. When we first got them, we thought but turtles were boys so their names were Fred but then Fredet had eggs and we changed her name…. After having turtles as pets and loving all animals as a child, I started my first job and the age of 17 at a local pet store in 1989 called Living Waters Aquarium inside the Greengate mall, later Adam and Eves of Latrobe PA bought out the company but I was lucky enough to keep my position at the company. Later on as the Greengate mall started closing Adam and Eves condensed to one location in Latrobe, I moved locations and continued to work for the company. Where I met Amanda ( owner of the Pittsburgh Reptile show) even though she was not the owner of the show back then, we worked together at Adam and Eves for a few years, and after she moved on she kept in contact with me, once she owned the Pittsburgh reptile show she asked if I would vend at it for many years I said no as I just was not sure what all I would bring. But Amanda was consistant on asking me to vend at the show, She truly felt i would do well at the show and sooner or later i gave it a shot, that was over 10 years ago now too! its been a great adventure and Im enjoying the Pittsburgh Reptile show every month! While working at Adam and Eves I continued my education in business, knowing that in the future I’d plan on owning my own pet store. 13 years ago I was given the opportunity to purchase Adam and Eves Pet and Hobby Store, I did and I changed the name to Adam and Aves Pet Station.

What are your current projects?

Currently we are breeding Leopard geckos, as we have a store front we don’t breed a ton in house, but we have a some amazing local private breeders who bring us some amazing animals all the time too.

 

What is your favorite reptile?

I can’t just pick one! Panther or Vailed Chameleon , Leopard geckos, and Bearded dragons.

 

What are you different are you bringing to the show this weekend?

Peter banded skinks, axolotls, emerald swifts, crazy colored packman frogs.

 

What is one thing not reptile related that people might not know about you but your willing to share with us now?

I teach and work with local color guards for years I’ve worked with Yough, Hempfield and Connellsville High schools as well as owning my own group called Eclipse and have been very successful our group has gone to nationals level! Also my favorite color is green.

 

Where is your Store located:

Adam and Eves Pet Station

3576 rt 30 West Suite 3

Latrobe pa 15650

 

Everyone make sure to stop by and say Hi to Dave this Sunday at the Pittsburgh Reptile show! Let him know you read about him on here too! www.pareptile.com

 

 

 

 

 

 This Months Vendor Spotlight interview was with - Timothy J. Gould

Timothy is one of our Venomous Vendors and we are very proud to have him highlight his collection at our shows monthly. Here is a little more about him. 

 

 

 

How Long have you been breeding / Collecting Reptiles?

November 21st marked 27 years keeping serpents; December will mark 22 years breeding them.

 

Why do you Breed / Own Reptiles?

I own/breed for pure enjoyment, observational study and scientific contributions. Supplemental income is only secondary.

 

What are your Current projects?

I have alot going on right now here is a small list :

 

Aspidelaps lubricus cowlesi (Kunene Shield, a.k.a. “Coral” Cobra)

Cerastes vipera (Sahara Sand Viper [the smaller, Sinai Peninsula locality]

Chrysopelea paradisi (Paradise Tree, a.k.a. “Flying” Snake)

Dasypeltis gansi (West-African Egg-Eating Snake)

Hemachatus haemachatus (Rinkhal’s Spitting Cobra - succeeded breeding this very difficult-to-breed species this year!)

Heterodon kennerlyi (Mexican Hognose Snake)

Heterodon nasicus (Western Hognose Snake)

Lampropeltis getula splendida x L. g. nigrita (Desert x Mexican Black Kingsnake)

Langaha madagascariensis (Madagascar Leaf-Nosed Snake)

Leioheterodon geayi (Mad. Speckled Hognose Snake)

Leioheterodon madagascariensis (Mad. Giant Hognose Snake)

Leioheterodon modestus (Mad. Blonde/Golden Hognose Snake - succeeded breeding this very difficult-to-breed species in both 2017 and 2018!)

Madagascarophis sp. (Mad. Cat-Eyed Snake - currently have six (6) eggs of this rare species due to hatch next month!)

Naja nigricincta nigricincta (Western Barred, a.k.a. “Zebra” Spitting Cobra)

Naja pallida (Red Spitting Cobra)

Naja samarensis (Samar Spitting Cobra)

Naja siamensis (Indochinese, a.k.a. “Black & White” Spitting Cobra)

Sistrurus tergeminus tergeminus (Western Massasauga Rattlesnake)

Trimeresurus albolabris (White-Lipped Tree Viper - copulation took place on 9/8, should expect neonates in the next 1-3 months!)

 

...and that’s about it for now, ha.

What will you be bringing to the upcoming Pgh Reptile show? 

 

 I will have up to the following  (if they don’t sell before)

0.1.0 CBB’17 Naja nigricincta nigricincta

1.3.0 CBB’17 Naja siamensis

5.3.0 CBB’18 Leioheterodon modestus

0.1.0 CBB’18 Heterodon nasicus

0.0.6 CB’18 Madagascarophis sp.

 

What is your Favorite animal? 

 

My favourite animal is of course the serpent, but if You mean in my collection...Man, that’s tough, but probably ‘Eversor’, my ~16-year-old 0.1 Boiga dendrophila dendrophila (Mangrove Snake) acquired over 14 years ago. ‘Rinky & Dinky’ and ‘Goldilocks & Pax’, however, my 1.1 Hemachatus haemachatus (Rinkhal’s Spitting Cobra) and 1.1 Naja nigricincta nigricincta (Western Barred, a.k.a. “Zebra” Spitting Cobra) respectively, have the most intriguing personalities and are very smart, inquisitive and voracious eaters that keep me on my toes! Specializing in rare, unusual and misunderstood families/genera/species, though, many of my animals are enlightening and sometimes take the cake for a day’s enjoyment, such as my Dasypeltis spp. (Egg-Eating Snakes) and my recently deceased ‘Trunks’ (1.0 Acrochordus javanicus [Javan Wart Snake]), R.I.P. 5/13/2011 - 11/4/2018.

 

Anything else we might want to know about you?

I am a musician of 21.5 years with an intention to finally, professionally record and release an album in 2019 - on vinyl, too, which I love! I also love Nature, hiking and anything outdoorsy, and I play ice hockey almost weekly (I am a goalie). I love to read and write, I am a fancier of human genetics, genealogy, anthropology and ethnography, and I am highly inspired by Europe’s ancient religion, mythology and lore. I am a Dragon Ball Z, Skyrim and Metal Gear Solid nerd. Lastly, I hold quite the strong convictions and unconventional philosophy on Life, and I post quite provocatively about it all, so You have been forewarned if You Add me on Facebook!   https://www.facebook.com/timothy.j.gould.7?ref=br_rs" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/timothy.j.gould.7?ref=br_rs

 

Going to try and bring this idea back - we have so many amazing vendors at our show, that i'm hoping to spotlight all of them but this weeks Vendor Spotlight is Dendro Hollow

Chip Reynolds -  Dendro Hollow   https://www.facebook.com/DendroHollow/" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/DendroHollow/

#1- How long have your owned / Breed Reptiles / Amphibians?

I have owned and cared for reptiles and amphibians for over 25 years. My wife Ashley “married into the hobby” 9 years ago and has fallen in love with all of our “amphibi-kids”.

I have been breeding for roughly 15 years. Starting with green anoles, moving into Fire Belly Toads, Green Tree Frogs, Whites Tree Frogs, Cuban Tree Frogs, and so on. Eventually progressing into Poison Dart Frogs (primarily), along with crested geckos and gargoyle geckos.

#2. Why do you own / breed?

We own and breed reptiles and amphibians, because we find them to be fascinating creatures. (If you ask my wife, it’s because I’m a Pisces.) I love researching anything and everything I can about all of them. Quite a few years ago we became interested in Bioactive animal care. We loved that we could mimic natural environments. This love led to the founding of Dendro Hollow. We now handcraft three custom Bioactive substrates for the most common habitats (Desert, Forest & Tropical) and sell all of the extras such as cleaner crew, plants, mosses, leaves etc. to really complete the build. It doesn’t matter how many times we produce a frog or a lizard, it’s just as exciting as the first time. It’s not a job to care for them and raise them, it truly is a passion. There’s an unbridled sense of satisfaction in properly housing a critter to the point that they will reproduce for you without forcing them to do so. This is due to the comfort and security that a naturalistic vivarium provides. We also believe that there are enough animals in captivity and no need to pull from the wild ( a.k.a. Field Collected animals.) So through breeding animals we are hoping to help reduce the number of animals harvested from the wild. We want our younger generations to be able to enjoy these beautiful creatures for many years to come.

#3. What are your current breeding projects?

Chines Cave Geckos (Goniurosaurus hainanensis), Russian Tortoises (Agrionemys horsfieldii), Tomato Frogs (Dyscophus guineti), and Leopard Geckos (Eublepharis macularius) of various morphs. Some of these are new territory for us, so we are thrilled to undertake this adventure. We will be showcasing our newest substrate, “Hollowed Ground Forest Blend” at the next show. This blend is suitable for ball pythons, cornsnakes, tegus, & a lot of inverts. Essentially anything in the mid humidity range ( 20% to 80% ). Our Ball Pythons have perfect sheds every time – proven! We will also have our “Hollowed Ground Desert Blend”. We have had this available for approximately 9 months. It is ideal for bearded dragons and other agamids, sand boas, leopard geckos, Russian tortoises, etc… Truly anything in the 40% and lower humidity range. I would like to address the IMPACTION concern I know everyone reading this will be concerned with. Impaction is not a substrate problem, it’s a proper husbandry problem! If you do not have proper temps, humidity, UVB (if neccesary), diet, and hydration, any animal will become impacted. If you have no substrate, and choose to use other cage liners, and the previous mentioned things aren’t at proper levels, you’re just prolonging the death of the animal or at the very least, creating a very unhealthy and unhappy animal. We literally tested our blends for well over 18 months each until we felt that we had perfected them. We tested for proper humidity retention, proper drainage, and proper plant growth. These recipes for the substrates are not new. They have been around for nearly 20 years in Europe. I was lucky enough to meet a foreign ally that aided me in perfecting our blends. He is a herpetologist, and has degrees in Botany, Biology, and Entomology. He has graced us with the base recipes and we built upon it to take them to the next level. There are only a handful of companies making these type of substrates in our country, and we are 1 of 2 doing the desert and forest substrates. I will tell anyone to “take the Pepsi Challenge” with our product vs. our competition. We encourage our customers to really analyze our competitions products and see if they think some ingredients are lacking. Lets just say our substrates have no less than 7 ingredients each! Sorry folks, it really is a secret family recipe! As always we are looking forward to seeing everyone at the next show!

 

#4. What will you be bringing to the next Pittsburgh Reptile Show?

We will be bringing over 100 frogs, ( 5 different species of dart frogs, from a variety of locales), crested geckos, leopard geckos, whites tree frogs, chubby frogs, Argentine black and white tegu, and Pacman frogs.

#5. What is your Favorite Animal?

HMMM...favorite animal….I would have to say frogs in general are my favorite animal, which is why I chose them as my primary pet to breed. They are very vocal, more intelligent than most people realize, and very active and beautiful.

Tell me anything you think people want to know about Dendro Hollow?

Some things I would like more people to know about myself, my wife, and our company Dendro Hollow. We specialize in Dart frogs and Bioactive , but most people don’t even know what that term means! It is fairly new to our area. Simply put, it means to set up a naturalistic vivarium that mimics the animals natural habitat. A mini-Ecosystem! You plant live plants in the substrate and add cleaner crew insects to the substrate, all of which cleans the tank for you. It’s self cleaning folks! You don’t have to rip the tank apart every few weeks and clean it, or replace the substrate. It is also completely healthy for the animal and brings out their natural instinct and behavior. There is no mold in the tank, no stink, no anaerobic bacteria to worry about, and no animal waste. We have dart frog vivarium’s that have been set up for years, never cleaned or ripped apart. They are as fresh and clean as the day they were built and the frogs are thriving. We have had our bearded dragons setup in desert Bioactive vivariums for years now with the same result. Over the time we have been in business, we have actually converted quite a few vendors over to bio and they love it. We have recently acquired a warehouse to begin producing our products on a larger scale and will be shipping nationally soon! Keep an eye out for our new website! We currently house over 200 animals not counting eggs, tadpoles, or babies. Tons of frogs, Russian tortoises, tegus, anoles, Cuban knight anoles, veiled chameleons, bearded dragons, gargoyle/leopard/crested/golden/Chinese cave/mourning geckos, ball pythons, Saharan sand boa, California king snake, tomato frogs, chubby frogs, whites tree frogs, red leg walking frogs, 33 species of dart frogs, 2 chihuahuas, and 1 cat. We are experienced pet owners and breeders, and love to educate others that may be new to this hobby!

At the next Pittsburgh reptile show & sale we would like to encourage anyone interested to come chat with us and learn something new! We can help you save yourself a lot of time and money!

Make sure to Stop by say Hi tell them you saw them on the Vendor Spotlight!   

Www.PAreptile.com

 

I've had many people over the years ask me what my Favorite reptile is. well i decided to let everyone know via a blog entry why i think Sand boas the the best!

First let me tell you I have owned everything from Full grown Burmese pythons to other tiny breeds like Childrens pythons, Savu and more. I love all of them but The little Sand boa has taken my heart. 

And with a face like this how could i say anthing else! 

I first fell in love with the Kenyan sand boa at a Pittsburgh Reptile show about 20 years ago now! It was a small normal colored one and it look up from its little display container and wanted me i could just tell.. She came home and started the craze at my house over the years ive breed over 500 kenyan sand boas and have had all kinds of color morphs some of my fave ive taken some photos of and will share. 

Are sand boas for you?? 

Kenyan sand boas are super easy to care for small snakes rarely ever getting over 20 inches long they and have a life span of about 20 years! They can happily live in a 10 gallon tank for life. I keep my sand boas together in a large plastic tote system with good air holes and a secure lid. but most people like to display them in a tank with a screen lid. If you choose to keep sand boas in a tank I advise using an undertank heating pad under one side of the cage, left on 24/7, along with an incandescent overhead lamp during the day, to heat the air in the cage. The hotspot under the light should be approximately 95 degrees Fahrenheit and the cooler side of the enclosure should be around 80 degrees. A drop to the mid-70s at night is acceptable.

 

I have kept Kenyan sand boas communally, with no issues whatsoever, and even feed them together however most people recomend sepratateing them for feedings. 

Given the Kenyan sand boa’s propensity for burrowing, cage accessories should be minimal. Heavy rocks should be avoided, unless they are firmly fastened to the enclosure. If a Kenyan sand boa burrows beneath heavy rocks and causes a mini-avalanche, the result could be injury or even death to the snake. Despite its small size, the Kenyan sand boa can be very destructive to your cage’s interior design, so décor does not need to be excessive. On my display tank ive always decorated it for the upcomming holliday just for fun! 

 

Decorative branches can be a nice touch, but they are not necessary. In my 20-plus years of working with Kenyan sand boas, I don’t ever remember seeing a Kenyan sand boa even attempt to climb. Kenyan sand boas are terrestrial creatures that prefer to spend most of their time underground.

 

Many people naturally assume the only choice of substrate for the Kenyan sand boa is sand. The truth is the Kenyan sand boa can be kept on a variety of substrates, including aspen bedding, coconut mulch, play sand and even newspaper. I have kept and bred Kenyan sand boas on all of these materials . I do recommend staying away from gravel, corncob bedding and, for all reptiles, cedar shavings.

 

Feeding  - Sand boas usually start off on pinky mice and a full grown female sand boad can take on a full size mouse, all of my sand boas have switched to frozen mice very easily. making them all very easy to feed to no need to try and find live pinky mice all the time. I feed my boas every 10 days. and have found this to be perfect for healthy sand boas. 

What else makes them cool?  Color choices! There are a ton of Cool Color Morphs out there now for the kenyan sand boa. Check out this chart i found the other day it was too cute not to share!

Also Breeding is easy they give live birth and it can be a fun family project to see what color morphs you can come up with there are still tons of new morphs to come with these guys for sure!   Im a sucker for the Anery i think a nice fat Anery looks like a happy cow snake and who can pass up a cow snake lol. Anyways i love seeing these guys at the show there are a hand full of vendors everymonth who display these guys for sale and i suggest you come check them out! they are a low cost, fun to play with easy to care for snake that might not scare away your mother. 

Hope to see you at an upcoming Pittsburgh reptile show   www.pghreptileshow.com 

a few more favs.

www.pghreptileshow.com 724-516-0441  monthly reptile show and sale cheswick pa 

Pittsbugrh Reptile Show & Sale Vendor Spotlight -  We are going to be taking the time to Highlight our amazing regular vendors at the show today we talked to -  Rick Krumrine Reptiles

Business name - Rick Krumrine Repties

How long have you owned/ Breed Reptiles? I've had snakes and other unusual critters all my life and I bred my first snakes in 1989! They were a pair of Corn snakes.

Why do you own/ Breed ? Ever since I was a kid I've had a fascination with reptiles, snakes in general. That fascination continues to this day and I enjoy seeing people people who were once afraid of them turn into snake lovers! What more could you ask for, being able to take care of animals for a living!

What are your current projects? I have quite few things in the works, my favorites being some pine, bull and gopher morphs, lots of locality colubrids, some new ball python projects , lots of Burmese morphs, lots of rattlesnakes, and the list goes on and on...

What are you planning on bringing to the next show? Anything special ? Snakes, snakes and more snakes! Oh, and snakes!

Favorite animal? It's hard to really point to just one. I probably get more enjoyment from my rattlesnake collection than anything else!

Anything else you think we should know about You? People probably know too much already!

Website? Or contact info rickkrumrinereptiles.com or check me out on FB

Baby it’s cold outside…Winter is here and with it  the lower temperatures that cause many exotic pet owners to worry about how to transport their loved pets. Reptiles and most tropical birds, can be hard to transport safely in fridgid temps. In this article we will explore some recommendations on how to safely transport them during cold weather. 

Snakes and Lizards

Reptiles are ectothermic, which means that they have to regulate their body temperature by moving to warmer or colder areas based on their needs. Their body temperature is the temperature of the environment they are in. If you live in Pittsburgh on a day that is 50 degrees and you are walking to the bus station with your reptile in a box with no means of additional heat support, his/her body temperature is going to be 50 degrees. This is clearly not ideal! However, there are many ways of creating a travel set up that is safe.

You can transport your pet reptile in an insulated environment such as a Styrofoam or other insulated coolers to maintain heat. If your reptile is small enough and hand tamed (such as many bearded dragons) you can wrap them up in a towel and tuck them inside your warm jacket. You can also try increasing the temperature of an enclosure by placing something warm in with the reptile and then enclosing the box/carrier. Examples include:

Hot water bottle

Hot water filled latex gloves

Hand warmers (available at most sporting goods stores, drugs stores, and online)

Hot water filled packs

Amphibians

Most amphibians do not need to be kept at temperatures over 70 degrees F (please research your specific species to determine what is safe). But remember that if you are outside in freezing temperatures, amphibians will need some supplemental heat sources such as described above together with a sponge saturated with tank water.

Aquatic turtles

Aquatic turtles should not be transported in water for short distances (under 2 hours). You can transport them dry as described above. They do not need water constantly and it is much more difficult to regulate water temperature outside the home.

Birds 

Sudden changes in temperatures can be dangerous for tropical birds. But did you know birds have built in down coats? Their downy feathers are used to cool them down in extreme heat, and warm them up in colder weather. In general, birds are capable of tolerating lower temperatures when they are exposed to them incrementally, however moving a bird from a warm apartment into a freezing snowy day can be a shock to them. Here are some ideas for transporting your birds safely. It is our recommendation if possible to use heated vehicles rather than the bus. 

For smaller birds (cockatiels, budgies, canaries) similar methods to that of the reptile can be used. Place the bird in a small box (shoeboxes are a good option) with small holes and place a warming device inside with the bird. Be aware that birds can and do chew, so any warm object should have a towel or some sort of protective barrier between it and the bird. Also be aware that any substances used for self-heating hand warmers may be toxic to birds and should likewise be kept out of reach of the bird. And be sure that the warming device is not overheated, as these enclosures can get very warm.

*Place your bird in a small bird-safe carrier and swaddle the carrier in towels. Fleece works particularly well to protect carriers from wind while not blocking air supply.

*For larger birds, warm up an electric heating pad and secure it underneath your carrying cage. Then swaddle the cage with a blanket, warm coat, or towels to keep the heat in.

*Place a cage that has been already swaddled with towels inside a duffle bag. This will provide an extra layer for heat, as well as give an easy way to carry your bird.

*Some birds enjoy being snuggled into a warm coat or jacket and can benefit from the body heat. This technique should only be used for birds who are accustomed to traveling this way and who do not attempt to escape. Do not try this method for the first time in the winter with a flighted bird.

We hope that this article reduces your worries about how to transport your exotic pets or new purchases from the Pittsburgh Reptile Show this winter.  Please call us if you have more concerns and we will be more than happy to answer any questions. 724-516-0441 

When it comes to taking care of a reptile pet it is quite different then taking care of a cat or dog. A sick or stressed reptile does not always really show what is going on, which makes it hard to define the problem. However there are some symptoms that could indicate a problem with your beloved pet. You will need to keep a good eye on this and act accordingly.

Generally speaking it is crucial to have some proper knowledge when buying a reptile. These animals need special care, specific to the type. For a reptile to be healthy, it needs to be kept in the right environment and at the right temperature with enough light (with changes in day/night). Their habitat needs to be furnished with plants, rocks etc. and there needs to be enough food specially bought for the reptile. If any of these aspects are off track, lacks of health will be a common outcome. Also take notice of the fact that, when bought at expos and other events, these reptiles are not healthy and need to be taken good care of before they become so. Extra nutrition, like dusting, will help getting your pet reach its normal health level.

Now how would you actually spot any problems with your reptile? First of all, a healthy animal doesn’t have any lateral (extra) folds in the skin, when this usually means dehydration. Also, its color has to be bright and saturated and not dull or darkened. But there are more ways to spot a stressed or ill reptile than just appearance.

Changes that could indicate stress or illness

Always check for change in food habits: is it eating more or less? Does it choose for higher moisture food?

Change in feces and urates: did the consistency change? Is it happening more or less than usual?

Changes in behavior can tell a lot about a problem: Is it more or less active? Did it become less tame? Is it soaking in the water bowl for longer than usual?

There could also be change in the speed or frequency of shedding.

Then there are problems that could be seen by observation: Is it gaping for a long time? Is it shaky? Is it having trouble with climbing? Basically anything that is off from what the pet usually does could identify problems.

If any of these things occur, it does not have to mean that something very bad is happening to your pet. Sometimes a little change in nutrition, hydration and environment could solve everything. When your pet is dehydrated or isn’t eating properly, this could be because the supplies aren’t easy to reach. When there is change in behavior this could mean that there day/night temperature and light needs to be adjusted accordingly. Really pay attention to the reptile and check on it daily to see if any problems occur. In order to make sure your pet is getting all the nutrition it needs, you can start dusting its food to reach the daily vitamin intake.

When everything has been checked and there shouldn’t be anything wrong with the environment or nutrition, or when you are just not sure about your pet’s health and worried about it, don’t hesitate and take it to a vet. Call a breeder or check with a local reptile Show for help too! Always keep in mind that, when you purchase a reptile, you need to make sure there is a vet that is specialized in reptile care available in your neighborhood.